Sanele Shange , eyes set on Kona |
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Just getting to the start line of his first full distance IRONMAN event in Gqeberha was already an achievement for 29-year-old Durban athlete Sanele Shange . He had been helped by his local running and triathlon community in Durban throughout his journey to IRONMAN , with friends paying for his entry fee and to transport him to Nelson Mandela Bay for the event , as well as equipping him with training and racing gear , and Sanele repaid their faith as he made history . |
The next challenge was the weather on race day , with the 3.8km swim leg being shortened to just 700m due to the strong winds and currents , causing very choppy sea conditions . The wind also made the 180km bike and 42.2km run legs even more challenging than normal , but Sanele took it all in his stride .
“ I was used to the rough sea conditions , as training in Durban helped prepare me for this , so I wasn ’ t too bothered . I have had a lot of experience swimming in rough sea conditions ,” he says . “ The bike was windy , but I had put in a lot of mileage with my coach on the saddle , so this helped in preparing my legs for those windy conditions . And the run … well this is what I live for , I love running , so I enjoyed it .”
Finishing in a time of 8:41:12 , Sanele finished second in the 25 to 29 age category , just three minutes and sixteen seconds behind category winner Antoine Bezault of France . Sanele was thus not only first South African in his age group , but also the first black South African to podium at the IRONMAN African Championship , and his podium finish also
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saw him qualifying for the 2022 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona , Hawaii
Transition into Triathlons
Sanele ’ s result is even more impressive when one realises that he only took up triathlon five years ago . “ I was running for one of the local running clubs in Durban , Savages , and they had some members who were also into the triathlon scene . I was always interested in swimming , so this naturally perked my interest . So , I chatted to them about getting into the sport ,” says Sanele .
“ I knew I could swim , I just had to work on the bike , and I was extremely confident in my running abilities . From there , I was fortunate enough to have members of the local community who were willing to lend me the gear that I needed for training and racing .
Success came early for the triathlon novice , but also disappointment . “ I finished third in my age group in my first event , on a borrowed bike . I then competed in the KZN Duathlon Champs and was selected to represent KZN at the SA Duathlon Champs , taking gold in my age category . This earned me selection to the South African age group team to compete at the World Duathlon Champs , in Spain , but due to the cost , I was unfortunately not able to go .”
Meanwhile , Sanele competed in his first KZN Triathlon Champs and was selected for the KZN team to represent the province at the South African National Championships , in Durban . “ Here I earned a place in the South African age group team to compete in the 2019 ITU Triathlon World Championships in Lausanne , Switzerland , but again , I did not have the funds to go and participate . I tried to raise the funds , and friends helped , but I unfortunately couldn ’ t raise the funds needed to travel .”
Thinking Positively
Now , thanks to his hard work ( and the help of friends ), Sanele is hoping it will be ‘ third time lucky ’ and he will be able to compete at the sport ’ s pinnacle event
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in Kona , scheduled to take place in October 2022 , where he will represent South Africa and race against the world ’ s best long-distance triathletes . And that ’ s a dream come true for Sanele , who says , “ Qualifying for Kona means so much to me . I want to race alongside one of my idols , German World Champion Jan Frodeno , a legend in the sport . This has always been my dream , and I am grateful to everyone who has helped me get to this point .”
Help Get Sanele to Kona www . backabuddy . co . za / sanele-shange-2021
“ Sanele has got to this point with a little help from his friends , a massive will to succeed and an incredible work ethic ! He has earned the right to compete amongst the best in the world , and we would love to see this Kona dream come true ,” says Garry Babich , one of Sanele ’ s friends in Durban .
“ Besides the cost of getting to and staying in Kona , there is equipment that Sanele really needs , including a bicycle . While he never complains and just makes do with what he has , we hope we can equip him in a way that will allow his athletic prowess to shine !”
Always smiling , in spite of the challenges Sanele faces
This article was supplied to Modern Athlete by IRONMAN South Africa .
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Images : Instapix & courtesy Sanele Shange |